Lactarius porninsis is an Alpine and Carpathian species strictly associated with European larch. In some ways it is a bit unremarkable; it is yet another medium-sized, orange milky cap, and it lacks most of the distinguishing features found in similar species (no pot-holes on the stem, no dramatic green staining, no excruciatingly acrid taste, no colored latex). But it is associated with one of the world's more beautiful trees and finding it in the fall means you are surrounded by the gorgeous yellow and dull orange hues of the larches as their needles begin to fall, contrasting with the deep greens of the non-deciduous spruces--all set against the snow-topped mountains.

Description:

Ecology: Mycorrhizal with European larch; growing alone, scattered, or gregariously; summer and fall; found throughout the range of the host tree (the Alps and the Carpathians) and, reportedly, where European larch is planted as an ornamental or has been introduced. The illustrated and described collection is from northwest Italy, about 50 miles (as the crow flies) from the type locality near Chamonix, France.

Cap: 4-8 cm; convex at first, becoming more or less flat, or shallowly depressed; sticky; bald; finely rugged; bright orange, becoming duller with age; not zoned, or zoned faintly toward the margin; the margin not lined.

Gills: Broadly attached to the stem or beginning to run down it; close; short-gills frequent; pale orange.